Alola - Nullified
by Anarkhiya
Summary: The island chain of Alola has finally been opened to the public, drawing Troy Dalton, a trainer from the Kalos region to their beauty and wonder. He plans to experience everything Alola has to offer, but some things are best left undone. Upon arrival, he finds he's in for a very shocking surprise. Join him as he journeys throughout Alola with his new... gift. Pokemon TF Fanfic.
1. Chapter 1

Sighing, I sit up in bed and stare into the inky black filling the room. The room's walls are naked, free of any hangings outside of a small wall clock; it's numbers unreadable. Even squinting, they remain nothing more than black splotches. Turning, I look out at the night sky through the round, porthole-esque window beside the bed. Unrivaled by the moon's brilliant light, the stars reign supreme over the sky, even seeming to shine brighter than ever before. With the moon hiding it's face and the sky clear of clouds, their light is supreme, having traveled millions of years already.

The waves are calm, causing the boat to rock only slightly as it travels towards it's destination. I had originally tried to use this to my advantage, by attempting to focus on it, but it had only reminded me of where I was going - feeding the fires of insomnia even further. I was aboard a fishing boat, bound for the previously restricted island chain of the Alola region. For as long as I could remember, the islands had been closed off to the public, supposedly to allow scientists and researchers compile a pokedex for use by trainers and tourists. Only recently had they lifted the restriction on the islands and began welcoming the populous to Alola, as well as opened the route for transit by ferries back and forth. As soon as I heard this, I had attempted to catch a ride on one of the first ferries bound for the islands, but due to my faulty alarm clock, I had missed my chance. However, I fortunately was able to convince a local fisherman to take me out on his next trip.

Kicking off the covers, I turn and stand beside the bed and stretch. After turning on the lights, I kneel down beside the bed and slide my suitcase out from underneath it. It's red, with an extendable handle and wheels. Unzipping it, I pick out a black short-sleeve shirt with a whit band across the shoulders and a worn pair of blue jeans - the color fading. I slip into the clothes and grab my jacket from the the nightstand beside the bed, and re-zip the suitcase, sliding it back underneath the bed. Pulling my jacket on, I walk across the small room and open the door, turning the lights off as I step out into the darkened hall. Turning right, I walk past the captain's room to the boat's cab. A few paintings adorn the walls out here, but very few. Entering the cab, I see the captain sitting in front of the controls. He's a portly, middle-aged man, but he's awfully kind. He wears a olive green fishing vest and has a captains cap pushed down over his eyes. He snores faintly - obviously asleep. Shaking my head, I move towards the door out of the cab and step out onto the deck.

From within, it seems that the boat is barely moving - only at a crawl - but in reality, it's moving quite fast. White froth is tossed up by the head of the boat, making it look like the boat's head is covered in snow. Approaching the railing, I rest my arms on it, laying my head atop my arms. Yawning, I close my eyes and think. Apparently Alola had a strange gym system. It supposedly didn't work like most gyms, rather it was a system of trials - run by select citizens called 'kahunas'. Apparently in place of badges there were these things called Z-Crystals, which were capable of giving your pokemon special, stronger moves or something. I was definitely curious, and I was excited to see experience all Alola had to offer. Stretching once again, I stand straight and go towards a pair of deck chairs bolted to the floor of the deck. I sigh and sit in the one closest to the railing, sit back, and close my eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

Groggily, I open my eyes. It's still dark, but now the stars seem to have vanished. I sit up and stretch, noticing a thick fog surrounding the boat and obscuring everything beyond a few feet. Piercing through the fog, a torch burns brightly and creates a circle of light at least a foot away from it. It rests atop a pole, flickering and reflecting it's light off the water. Illuminated by the torch is a small dock, to which the boat seems to have been tied off to.

Walking towards the boat's ramp, I see it has already been lowered by someone. Confused, I step out onto the wooden dock. Making my way down the wooden platform, I listen to the faint cries of distant pokemon, all unfamiliar to me. I walk to the end of the dock and step onto the beach. The sand is moist, and the light from the torch only extends a few inches beyond the dock.

I yawn, noticing a faint blueish glow in the distance. It seems to be floating, and I feel strangely drawn to it. I know I should resist the urge, but I give in and step off the dock and venture into the darkness.

I walk at first, but as a feeling of fear grows inside me, I begin to walk faster and faster, until I'm eventually running towards the glowing object. Suddenly, it disappears and leaves me alone in the dark of the night. Turning around, I see the torchlight has disappeared strangely, and I can't see within a few inches of my face. I wave my hand in front of my face, seeing nothing. Suddenly, I hear footsteps coming my way. Randomly, they stop. A few seconds later, I hear footsteps behind me. They disappear, and are replaced by footsteps from my left.

"Who's there?"

No response.

"Hey! Anyone there?"

All is silent for a few minutes, until the silence is interrupted by a sound that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand straight. A chill goes down my spine as I hear what sounds like a severely distorted growl, reminding me horrifyingly of my partner, Fennekin, crying out in fear.

After a few seconds of silence, I feel something slam into my chest and knock me to the ground, and I feel my head hit something hard, and the world slips away from me.

 _ **AN: I apologize for the short chapters, but hey - at least it's a story!**_


	3. Chapter 3

_"Hey, you dead or something? Wake up already."_

Groaning, I open my eyes - and immediately regret it. A burning sensation shoots through my eyes for moment, causing everything to go white. It subsides, and the world returns to my vision. My head is pounding, and my entire body aches. Sitting up, I look around. The sun is just beginning to rise, and the stars are faint, fading with the brightening sky. In front of me is a very familiar sight - a Pokemon Center. It's surrounded by other buildings, some residences - some shops of their own.

Standing up, I turn around and see the boat, still tied off to the dock. Someone has dowsed the torch, and fresh footprints have been left in the wet sand. I feel cold, even though there's no breeze. Everything is silent, with all but a few denizens of the island still asleep. Shivering slightly, I start towards the Pokemon Center. About half way there however, I stop. I can't help but wonder what exactly it was that happened last night. _A wild pokemon maybe?_ Shrugging, I ignore the thought and continue towards the building.

Stepping inside, I look around as the automatic doors close behind me. The building is almost completely devoid of people, with the only person being the nurse behind the counter. Currently, she's staring down at the computer display in front of her, oblivious to my presence. She has red hair, put up in a single ponytail. She looks no older than 24, and her name tag reads 'Giya Caldwell'. I walk up to the counter and wait for her to finish whatever it is she's doing, not wanting to be rude.

It takes a minute, but eventually she looks up and sees me, her expression changing to one of surprise.

"O-Oh, sorry! What do you need?"

She's obviously new at this, seeming nervous.

"It's okay. All I need is maybe a map of the town. I just arrived here on boat, and I have no idea where I'm at."

"Oh! That's an easy fix! This is Konikoni city, and you're on Akala island. If you need a map, I can get you a paper copy."

"Thanks, that answers my first question. Second - is there anywhere I could stay nearby?"

"Yes, there is. When you exit here, go two streets over and turn right, and there should be a big L-shaped building. The sign should say 'Three Moon Inn'. They charge 25 Poke per night."

"Thanks! I appreciate your help."

"No problem. That _is_ what I'm here for!"

Smiling, I nod my head and turn around and walk towards the door. About half-way to the door however, I hear the nurse ask me something.

"H-Hey! Is that..."

I turn back around and look at her, intrigued.

"What?"

"N-nothing. I thought I saw something."

"Alright then. If you say so."

"See you!"

"Same here."

I turn around and exit the building, slightly confused.

Shaking it off, I turn and make my way down the street, following the directions to the inn the nurse told me about. Sure enough, a large sign stood outside the building's parking lot, with a logo made up of three moons, one full, with two crescent moons on opposite sides of the full moon. Beneath it, in big lettering is 'Three Moons Inn'. The parking lot is empty, except for a red pick-up truck parked in the far-right corner of the lot. I make my way over to the front door and climb the stairs to the door. I try the knob, but find it locked. Next to the handle is a button, probably a doorbell. I reach up and push the button in, and a faint _DING!_ comes from the inside.

"Hold on! I'll be right there!"

A few seconds later, the lock clicks and the door is opened by a portly middle-aged man, a pair of reading glasses on resting on the bridge of his nose. He's wearing a blue button-down top, with a pair of jeans.

"Sorry about that. Anyhow - welcome to Three Moons Inn! C'mon in."

"Thanks. I heard you charge 25 Poke a night?"

"Yep. That's our fee. Or if you want, you can pay 175 Poke for one week."

"What about a month? I can give you 775 Poke in advance and pay for a month's stay."

At my mention of being able to pay for a month, his eyes widen and he seems even happier. He walks up to the counter of the building and steps behind it.

"Uh, I- I think we can do that! That'll be just fine. Just set the payment on the desk and I'll go get your key."

"Thanks. I'll be here."

Reaching into my jacket pocket, I pull out my wallet and take out the requested fee and place it on the counter. Yawning, I look for somewhere to sit. A row of chairs line the left wall. I walk over and sit down, only to get back up as the clerk comes to the counter. He's holding a key with a crescent-moon shaped handhold in his hand.

"Here you go - you're in room 6. Enjoy your stay.

"Thanks. Do you come around and collect payment, or what?"

"I take payments whenever you need them, but if you run late on a payment, I'll come let you know. Also, if you see an Umbreon with a red bracelet on it's left fore-paw, try and bring it back if you can. He's been disappearing lately and has been really disobedient. Sorry if it inconveniences you."

"No, it's fine! I won't mind keeping an eye out."

"Thank you. If you bring him back here, I'll owe you one - okay?"

"Got it."

Smiling, I turn and walk out the door and turn right. Walking along the deck, I follow the door numbers until I reach the one labeled 'Six', and I insert the key into the lock. Turning the key, I unlock the door and open the door and step inside. The room is small, but livable. To the right of the door is a small kitchen, and directly opposite the kitchenette is a small sleeping area - with a large TV sitting on an entertainment center. A lamp stands in the far corner, and a twin size bed sits in the center of the sleeping area. And sitting on top of the bed is something surprising. Sitting on the bed is an Umbreon, with a red band around it's left fore-paw. It looks at me, and speaks.

"It's about time you got here. I've been waiting for you."


	4. Chapter 4

I'm at a loss for words, my thoughts racing as I stare at the dark-type sitting on the bed. I feel confused, nauseous, and I'm having trouble thinking straight. I take a deep breath and manage to collect myself, but only barely.

"Did you just talk?"

"Yes, I did. Your point is?"

"You can't talk. You're a pokemon."

"Just because I'm a pokemon does not mean I'm mute. Now, if we can stop with the cock-foolery, I will explain a few things. Oh, and you should probably sit down - you look like you're about to puke, and I doubt Jonathan will enjoy scrubbing your vomit out of the carpets."

Nodding, I come over and sit on the edge of the bed, immediately feeling calmer - less dizzy. The Umbreon has sat up as well, and is now staring at me with a bored look in it's eyes. I notice that the red band around it's left fore-paw is actually a scrap of red cloth, torn and faded.

"A-alright. I'm calm now, so can you please tell me what the hell is going on?"

"Okay then. I know you're probably expecting some long-winded, confusing explanation, but it's actually quite simple. You see, I'm not even speaking English - and neither are you for that matter. The only reason you can understand me is because of what's happening to you currently." It pauses, most likely trying to give me time to take in what it said.

"You still confused?"

"Y-yeah. In fact, I'm pretty sure what you just said only confused me more. What the hell do you mean 'happening to me'? I'm going insane, aren't I? Is that what you're trying to say?"

"No, not at all. You are perfectly sane, and hopefully you'll remain that way - you'd be no help if you go insane."

I close my eyes and lay back onto the bed, trying to process this all. I'm having trouble comprehending what's going on, and the dark-type's explanations are only making it worse.

"Okay, but that doesn't tell me much. But if i'm right, the only reason I can understand you, is because i'm speaking something other than English, and I can somehow understand what you're saying all of a sudden. Am I correct?"

"Yes. All correct. Now, in regards to why you're speaking Pokish - you're no longer a human. If i'm correct, you were attacked by an unknown being last night, after being lured out into the dark by an oddly enticing blue glow, is this true?"

"I- yes, but how'd you know that? I was alone out there, and I'm certain of that. And what the hell are you talking about 'no longer human'?! Of course I'm human!"

It smirks, seeming to have expected my reaction beforehand. It stares at me for a few minutes, the silence only aggravating me further. Holding back my frustration, I take a deep breath and try to relax. All is quiet for a minute, with the only sound being my own breathing. Once it becomes awkward, the Umbreon decides to break the silence with a laugh.

"You may look human at the moment, but don't worry - that won't last long."

"What are you talking abo-' I'm cut off as the yellow ring on it's forehead begins to change color, turning blue and starting to glow, creating a very familiar blue glow. Coming to a horrible realization, I jump up off the bed and back away towards the door.

"T-That was y-you last night?! You're the thing that attacked me?!"

It grins, and laughs as the the lights click off all at once, leaving me with my back against the wall and the only light being the eerie glow it's giving off. I begin to feel scared, and desperate - and try to think of a way out. Yet something tells me that escape is impossible.

"I was wondering how long it'd take for you to realize.' it says from my left.

'Oh boy, this'll be fun! I haven't gotten to do _this_ in a loooong time. Especially not to a human!"

This time, it's voice comes from my right. I feel the fear building, and I decide I'd rather not stick around to see what it was referring to. I fumble behind me, inching along the wall to the door and finding the handle. Panicking, I quickly turn and turn the knob - or should I say, try to - it's stuck!

I hear it cackle, right behind me, and spin back around as fast as I can. It's standing right there, a foot away from me. I realize it's over, and that there's nowhere to run; I'm trapped. I gulp and close my eyes, awaiting the inevitable... but it never comes. After what seems like ages, I open my eyes to see the Umbreon simply sitting there - staring at me.

"You done? If you think I'm going to let you get away without seeing this, you're out of your mind!"

"J-just do it. Kill me already and get it over with."

"Oh-ho-ho! You think I'm gonna _kill_ you? No. That wouldn't be anywhere near half as fun! Now, hold still and _maybe_ it won't hurt as much."

I gulp and brace myself for the worst, watching the glow as it begins getting brighter and brighter, to the point that it blinds me. When the light fades, I immediately begin to feel very, very strange. I feel increasingly nauseous as my entire body begins to itch. I watch as yellow fur begins to sprout from my skin, and my hands begin to change.

I'm suddenly hit with a massive wave of nausea and pain, as my skull begins to morph and change. My head begins pounding increasingly worse as my face seems to elongate, my nose protruding further outward into what looks like a muzzle. As my skull continues to reshape, my fingers shrink and my middle and ring finger merge. They fuse into a paw-like appendage, the bottoms turning to rough, black pads. My eyes seem to cloud up ever slightly, and my legs give out as my pelvis seems to snap. My ears move to the top of my head, lengthening and turnings slightly diamond-esque shaped. I hear a series of guttural, disgusting pops and cracks from my back, as it feels like someone is snapping my spine in every spot at once. I scream, trying to curl into a ball on the floor.

The Umbreon chuckles as I close my eyes and wait for the pain to stop. Slowly, the yellow fur covers the rest of my body, forming into spiked peaks. After what seems like forever, the pain fades and the cracking stops. I whimper, opening my eyes to watch my feet morph and change just like my hands had, and remain that way. I want to cry, horribly terrified. The pain fades completely, only to be replaced with a horrible feeling inside my chest. It feels horrible, and it lasts for a few seconds before stopping. I take a deep breath as tears pool in the corners of my eyes, but breathing seems to be difficult. After repeating the same deep breath repeatedly, the difficulty fades, and I let my tears run free, wetting the fur that now covered my body, causing me to feel slightly warm.

"W-what _am_ I?"

It laughs and steps closer, the glow fading and the lights flickering back on. It's smiling, and seems to have enjoyed doing whatever it had done to me.

"Now _that_ , was fun. Now come on, stop whimpering - you'll come to enjoy being something other than human."

"W-What am I?! Answer me!"

"Oh, fine. You're a Jolteon now kiddo. Enjoy."

And with that, it turns and walks to the window and jumps onto the sill and out the window, leaving me alone with my tears and nothing but the ugly truth.


	5. Chapter 5

Groaning, I open my eyes. My head is pounding, and everything looks fuzzy. I feel strange, and my entire body itches. I sit up, groggily, and look around. I vaguely remember passing out, after crying for what seemed like hours. My vision clears, as I sigh and look down at my hands, ' _Er... paws'_. Tears start to well up again, but I blink them away.

 _'No, I'm not gonna cry again!'_

Taking a deep breath, I try to keep calm. I know panicking won't help any, especially since I don't even know what's going on. I blink the tears out of my eyes and start with my first issue - how to stand.

Nervous, I lift myself off the ground, and bring myself to a standing position. My legs shake, feeling horribly weak. I begin feeling nauseous, and let my knees give out. The feeling of nausea fades, but I try to stand again. This time, I manage to stay standing, and avoid the nausea. Cautiously, I take a step forward, wobbling as I do so. I take another, then another.

 _'Left, right, left, right.'_

It takes a few minutes of bumbling along, but I manage to get the hang of it by repeating the mantra in my head as I walk. It still feels odd, but I can manage now. I no longer feel like I'm going to puke, and I sit down, nearly out of breath. All is silent, except the sound of my breath. A few moments later, I hear footsteps coming down the hallway towards the door. I can hear someone talking, but it's muffled slightly by the wall.

"Alright Ryat - you need to stop running off like that! Now, you stay right there while I check on our newest tenant."

Gasping, I panic. _'I can't let him see me like this! Who knows what could happen if he catches me!'_ I hurriedly look around, looking for a hiding place.

 _'Under the bed! That'll work!'_

I quickly get up and rush towards the underside of the bed, praying that I won't trip. I make it without any trouble, and just in time too - the motel owner opens the door right as I crawl under the bed. Hopefully, he won't notice me. I should be hidden, right?.

"Hmm, he must've left. Guess I'll just have to thank him tomorrow."

He turns and closes the door behind him, locking it behind him. I'm glad to have avoided him, as I can only imagine what would've happened had I been found. Cautiously, I crawl out from underneath the bed and look around for an exit. Calming myself, I start towards the window the Umbreon had jumped out of previously. _'Alright, how do I do this?'_

"Well, if in doubt, try everything!"

I tuck my legs underneath me, and try to force myself upwards towards the window. I push off and feel my feet leave the ground. I feel strangely happy, soaring through the air towards the open window. However, the feeling of joy is cut off as I slam face-first into the wall and fall to the ground on my back.

"Oooouch!"

My new muzzle throbs with pain, and I roll over. I sit and rub my muzzle with my paw, waiting for the pain to fade. A few moments later, it stops and I stand back up. Shaking my head, I back up and try again. This time, I land on the edge of sill, teetering dangerously. I stand still, trying to balance long enough to step forward, but my paw slips and I fall. Fortunately, I manage to catch hold of the sill before dropping, and it helps soften the blow.

Sighing, I try one last time, and manage to stay on the sill this time. The breeze ruffles my new fur, causing me to shudder with the remembrance of what I now was. I shake the feeling off and look out at the day. Now, a lot more people are milling about, doing their daily things. A few Pokemon wander about, unimpeded by the populous. The window it not that far above the ground, and the drop shouldn't be too bad. I look out at the Pokemon strolling about, those that had been born the way they were and were used to life this way. The thought makes me sigh, and I hop down into the grass.

 _'These Pokemon have had their entire life to get used to who they are, and I only have a few hours. How will I do this?'_

Shaking my head, I try to work out where I should go from here. I simply decide to start walking _away_ from the center of town, and I just think. I feel the depression that had been building creeping in, but I force it down - crying won't help now. I let myself get lost in thought for a few minutes, but I get jolted out of my trance when I trip over a root and face-plant into the dirt. Groaning, I stand up again and keep walking. I walk and walk, until my paws start to get sore. They hurt, but I fight the urge to stop away. As I walk, I listen to the wind. For some strange reason, the wind seems to speak, taunting me and sounding as if it's laughing.

' _Pitiful fool, maybe you'd still be human if you weren't so_ _ **stupid!'**_

' _You're pathetic! Can't even fight off a simple Umbreon? You truly are worthless!'_

 _'Give up! There's no point in going on you simpleton!'_

I try to ignore them and keep walking, but they just seem to get louder and louder. I just can't drown them out! I scream, running over to a nearby tree and slamming my head into it. The voices stop, but so does everything else as I pass out.


	6. Chapter 6

_"Hey! Wake up already. C'mon kid, wake up!"_

I feel someone nudging me, or more along the lines of softly kicking me in the side. With each nudge pain flares up at the contact point, making me wince. As my thoughts clear up, I roll away from my assailant and groan.

"Stop it... I - I'm awake!"

Groggily, I open my eyes. I'm laying in a patch of grass underneath a large oak tree. I seem to be in a forest of sorts, and the trees seem to form a roof with their branches. My head is pounding, and everything looks fuzzy. I sit up and turn back around. The Pokemon responsible for kicking me repeatedly in the side is a Fennekin, who now is sitting and staring at me. It looks extremely familiar, but I can't place where from.

"About time you woke up. Now, you okay?"

"Y-yeah, I think so. You don't have to be so hard you know. That hurt."

"Well, if it woke you up it obviously worked, didn't it?"

I chuckle, still groggy. My vision has cleared up a bit, and I can make out the details better. The pain in my head is beginning to fade, but only barely.

"Y-yeah, I guess. It still hurt though."

"Oh, by Arceus... Would you stop complaining?"

"Sure. W-who are you exactly?"

It looks surprised, even slightly horrified at my question. I can't help but feel like I should know them, but my mind just keeps drawing blanks.

"Embry. You?"

For some odd reason, the name seems horribly familiar - like someone I should know. I feel really close to them, but I can't say why exactly. I go to respond, but I'm hit by another thought - this one scares me.

 _'I can't remember my name! Why can't I remember my name?!'_

I know I need to come up with something, or else I'll have to deal with something terribly complicated. I rush to try and think of a name, even a false one for now. I scour the reaches of my mind, checking the imaginary nooks and crevices, until I come across something.

"J-Joules. My name's Joules."

It nods and mutters something, seeming suspicious of me. It shakes it's head and stands up.

"Well then, Joules. What exactly were you doing sleeping here?"

"I- I don't remember, to be honest."

"Hmm, that's weird - you remind me of Troy..."

Strangely, I feel a major connection to the name 'Troy', almost as if it feels right. It feels personal, and I can't remember why. It seems my entire mind is a big series of blanks, nothing more. I sigh, shaking my head. My ears twitch, and I notice a horrible itch in my left ear. Without thinking, I sit and use my leg to scratch the ear, relieving the itch almost instantaneously.

"Well, either way - you out here alone?"

"Y-yeah, I think so."

"You think so? How could yo- nevermind. Now you're really starting to remind me of Troy."

"Who the hell is Troy?"

"My tr-er... a friend of mine."

"W-were you about to say trainer?"

"Yeah, so what if I was?"

"N-nothing. Just... curious."

I yawn and stand up, glancing around before focusing in on Embry. She's standing as well, and is frowning.

"Alright, where to?"

She shakes her head, then smiles.

"That's up to you - I've gotta work on finding Troy. You can go where ever you want."

I nod, sighing. Suddenly, I realize why her name sounded so familiar. I remember why I felt so close to her, and why the name 'Troy' rang so many bells.

"E-Embry, it's me!"

"Yes, I know Joules, who else would you be?"

"N-no, it's me, Troy! I'm not lying Embry, I'm really not!"

"Come on, stop joking. Troy is human, and I'm not stupid."

"No, it's really me! T-there was this, this Umbreon - it turned me into..."

"A Jolteon? Do you _really_ expect me to believe that?"

"I'm not joking Embry! Please, just... just trust me."

I feel tears building, and I feel the sorrow of earlier returning. I don't want this to be true, but it is. I feel like I'd have been better off without the knowledge of the night's events.

"E-Embry, it's me. I'm being serious, j-just please believe me."

She seems conflicted, confused yet surprised. She seems like she wants to believe me, but can't accept it. I can see she is desperate for it to be true, but she knows it's not possible.

"Troy, if that's you - then what was the first thing you did after we met?"

I scour my mind, searching for the answer. I find it in a few minutes, but hesitate before saying it.

"I-we went... We went skiing. Or tried to. I didn't know that much about weaknesses, and you got sick on the skylift. You puked on my jacket."

Her eyes light up, as she realizes it's really me. She seems horrified, but awestruck at the same time. She seems happy, yet relieved to have found me.

"T-Troy... how? I- is this a dream or something?"

"I-I honestly don't know. I mean, it could be - by Arceus, I hope it is! W-wait... how'd you get out of your pokeball?"

She smirks, trying to hold back a laugh. However, she is unable to stop herself, and bursts out laughing aloud. I feel stupid, like I missed some crucial detail.

"Troy, you dimwad! You've seen me do it before - I thought you'd have realized by now that pokeballs are meant to allow Pokemon inside to exit at will. You are just - I can't believe I can say this, but you know exactly how to make me laugh."

For some reason, her smile seems to lighten my mood, helping to cut away the sorrow of the day's events. I feel strange, an emotion flooding my chest that I just can't seem to name. I search and scour my mind for what to call it, but I find nothing. Shaking it off, I smile as well.

"I- I guess so. Do you know what's going on though? I mean, why am I a... a..."

"A Jolteon? I don't really know, but it seems you've gotten the hang of it."

I chuckle half-heartedly, disappointed that she's unable to provide an answer.

"Not really... I mean, I know the basics, but..."

"But you've got a lot to learn? Yeah, I guess you do - but don't worry! I can help you get completely accustomed to it if you need me to."

"T-thanks Embry - you're the best."

Slowly, the realization creeps into my mind. I finally know what to call the emotion I felt earlier, but the truth horrifies me. I recognize it to be... _love_. The thought scares me, as I can't believe myself. How could I fall in love with my... partner? She's a friend, nothing more. Maybe a close one, yeah - but that's all.

 _It can't be true... can it?_


End file.
